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this is why the whole system is so unfair. its not about need anymore, its about who knows how to game the system. my niece didnt get any aid and her parents make less than 40k
If a student with family income under $40k didn't receive substantial aid, I'd strongly recommend having them contact the financial aid office immediately. That scenario suggests either an error on the FAFSA, unusual assets not reflected in income, or possibly a misunderstanding of the aid package (sometimes loans are presented alongside grants in a way that makes it appear as 'aid'). Students from lower-income households should qualify for significant need-based aid including Pell Grants.
Thank you everyone for all the helpful responses! I'm going to wait until we have all offers in hand, then draft formal appeal letters to each school using the appropriate terminology. I'll focus on my daughter's fit with each school while respectfully presenting the competing offers. Definitely feel more confident navigating this process now!
i withdrawn from classes last semester too and got hit with a bill.... its total bs how they dont explain this to u when u sign up for classes!!!! like how am i supposed to know all these rules??? the FAFSA system is so confusing and nobody explains anything until its too late
Something everyone is missing - make sure you check if your withdrawal has put you in SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) violation too. If you failed to complete 67% of your attempted credits, you might lose future aid eligibility on top of owing this money. Dealing with both issues at once is important.
Oh no, I didn't even think about SAP! I need to check on that immediately. Do you know if getting put on an SAP warning affects current semester aid or just future semesters?
Usually the first time you fall below SAP standards, you get put on a warning for one semester where you still receive aid. If you don't get back above the requirements after that semester, then you lose eligibility. But every school handles the process a bit differently, so definitely check with your financial aid office ASAP.
This happened to us, and what worked was having my daughter's high school counselor call the university directly. They have established relationships with admissions offices and can sometimes cut through the red tape faster than parents can. Worth a try if you're running out of time!
Here's something important to understand: the May 1st deadline is part of something called the "National Candidate Reply Date Agreement" that most colleges follow. If a school participates in this agreement AND they haven't provided you with a complete financial aid offer, they are actually obligated to extend your decision deadline. In fact, this scenario is specifically addressed in their guidelines. You have a legitimate case to request an extension if you haven't received complete financial information. Make sure to mention this specific agreement when you communicate with them.
Wow, I had no idea this was an official thing! This is incredibly helpful information. I just checked and this university is definitely part of the Common App system, so I assume they follow this agreement. I'll specifically reference this in my communication with them. Thank you so much!
Based on everything shared here, you're dealing with two separate issues: 1. FAFSA dependency status - determines whose income is counted for aid calculation 2. State residency for tuition purposes - determines in-state vs out-of-state rates For #1, you need the Dependency Override I mentioned earlier. For #2, you need to follow the specific residency appeal process for your Michigan university, which should include: - Documentation of 12+ months physical presence - Proof of financial ties to Michigan - Evidence you've cut ties with Nevada - Documentation of your aunt's legal relationship to you I recommend scheduling a meeting with both the residency determination office AND the financial aid office together, so they can coordinate. Often these departments don't communicate well with each other, which leaves students caught in the middle.
Thank you for clarifying! I'll try to set up that joint meeting - that's a really smart idea. I've been bouncing between offices and getting different answers from each one.
u should also check if ur schol has hardship grants or emergency aid. my friend got like $5000 when his tuition went up and he couldnt pay
Good idea! I'll check with the financial aid office about emergency aid options. Anything helps at this point.
Anderson Prospero
btw make sure u didnt get any FAFSA verification emails. my cousins application got flagged for verification and she had no idea until she checked her junk mail folder. if that happens the schools wont process ur aid package even if they got the fafsa
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Ahooker-Equator
•Oh no! I'll check all my folders including spam. Is verification common? What causes that to happen?
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Mei-Ling Chen
Verification is fairly common - about 25% of all FAFSA applications get selected. It can be random or triggered by certain factors like missing information or discrepancies. If you were selected, you'd receive an email from Federal Student Aid and would also see a verification flag when you log into studentaid.gov. To directly answer your original question: by this time in the application cycle (mid-cycle), most schools are receiving FAFSA data within 7-10 days after processing, though some reports indicate 10-14 days this year due to the new FAFSA rollout. As long as you can prove you submitted before the priority deadline, most schools will honor your place in line for institutional aid.
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Ahooker-Equator
•This is so helpful, thank you! I just checked studentaid.gov again and don't see any verification flags, so that's a relief. 7-10 days would put me right up against the priority deadline, so I'll definitely call them tomorrow with my confirmation info.
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